US3927886A

US3927886A - Board game

Info

Publication number: US3927886A
Application number: US505095A
Authority: US
Inventors: Omar Day
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1974-09-11
Filing date: 1974-09-11
Publication date: 1975-12-23
Anticipated expiration: 1992-12-23

Abstract

A betting-type board game having a rectangular board generally divided into four rectangular areas, the first two of the areas having in them a plurality of raised, sequentially numbered squares arranged in a grid and identifying a plurality of upstanding pegs arranged respectively adjacent the squares, the pegs having thereon respective perforate game-chips in two colorsets with sequential alphabetical markings on them, the second two of the game board areas having in them a plurality of raised circular areas sequentially numbered in correspondence with the raised squares, each raised square having in the top portion a perforation for receiving a peg bearing marker, four of which markers are supplied to furnish one each to the maximum number of players provided for; a game wheel having in random sequence the numbers of the raised squares and circles, separates the first two game board areas, and a jackpot section playing-chip anteholder separates the second two game board areas; spinning the game wheel numerically designates a peg, the game chip on which is then turned up; the object of the game is to match the alphabetical letter on the face of the turned-up chip by selecting a face-down chip having the same alphabetical letter on it, (CHIP-MATCHING) thereby winning a playing chip reward, and to repeat same, winning as many playing chips as possible; ''''CHIPMATCHING'''' certain designated chips yields bonuses, and ''''CHIPMATCHING'''' chips marked with a star takes the jackpot.

Description

United States Patent 1 Dec. 23, 1975 Day 1 1 BOARD GAME [76] Inventor: Omar Day, 523 Elizabeth Road,

Glen Bumie, Md. 21061 [22] Filed: Sept. 11, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 505,095

[52] US. Cl. 273/135 R; 273/130 H [51] Int. Cl. A63F 3/00; A63F 5/00 [58] Field of Search 273/130 H, 131 G, 135 R,

273/137 AD, 139, 148 R, 135 AD [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,545,415 3/1951 Podd 273/135 R 2,609,204 9/1952 Wixson 273/139 2,780,463 2/1957 Salomon 273/137 AD 3,624,808 11/1971 Anderson 273/131 G 3,693,977 9/1972 dc Keller......................... 273/135 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLlCATlONS 1,051,062 1966 United Kingdom 273/130 H Primary ExaminerAnton O. Oechsle Assistant ExaminerJoscph R. Taylor Attorney, Agent, or Firm-John F, McClellan, Sr.

[57] ABSTRACT A betting-type board game having a rectangular board generally divided into four rectangular areas, the first two of the areas having in them a plurality of raised, sequentially numbered squares arranged in a grid and identifying a plurality of upstanding pegs arranged respectively adjacent the squares, the pegs having thereon respective perforate game-chips in two colorsets with sequential alphabetical markings on them, the second two of the game board areas having in them a plurality of raised circular areas sequentially numbered in correspondence with the raised squares, each raised square having in the top portion a perforation for receiving a peg bearing marker, four of which markers are supplied to furnish one each to the maximum number of players provided for; a game wheel having in random sequence the numbers of the raised squares and circles, separates the first two game board areas, and a jackpot section playing-chip ante-holder separates the second two game board areas; spinning ,the game wheel numerically designates a peg, the

game chip on which is then turned up; the object of the game is to match the alphabetical letter on the face of the tumed-up chip by selecting a face-down chip having the same' alphabetical letter on it, (CHIP- MATCl-llNG) thereby winning a playing chip reward, and to repeat same, winning as many playing chips as possible; CHIP-MATCHING" certain designated chips yields bonuses, and CHIP-MATCHING chips marked with a star takes the jackpot.

11 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures lcaeoaoaqa a R g Q @QCDECDE JGDEJGDQ /II POT Ill US. Patent Dec. 23, 1975 Mm 2 KT Y k H T m@@@ m @m m/ m WM wm gmvb W FIG. 2

In the prior art various patents disclose elements of 5 the present game, but the inventive structure and coaction of the parts of the present game provide player interest, attractiveness, and ease of use to a degree and in a manner and arrangement not previously available, and for younger players are educative in number and letter recognition and matching, and in teaching dexterity.

Principal objects of this invention are to provide as structure a peg-held-chip board game in coaction with a uniquely visible array of separate pedestal peg designators and of peg engaging chips, a uniquely attractive and easy to use corresponding set of choice designators, and convenient centrally-disposed random selector apparatus and combination jackpot and chip storage section.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent on examination of the following description, including the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view, and

FIG. 2 is a side elevation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE GAME BOARD AND ACCESSORIES The game structure 100 includes a board 102 which comprises a rectangular generally planar member, preferably about twenty inches on a side, and one and one-half inch thick, and preferably of 80 mil vacuum formed plastic; it may be open at the bottom as indicated in FIG. 2. The board provides a playing field divided into four

rectangular areas

104, 106, 108, 110, the upper left, lower left, upper right and lower right areas, by two perpendicular central dividing lines 112, 114. Midway between the upper left and lower left areas a roulettetype game wheel 116, preferably about 6 inches in diameter, is provided, preferably recessed into the' thickness of the board and pivotally mounted on a vertical pin 118. The game wheel has radial sectors 120 serially designated from 1" to 36", but randomly disposed, and a steel ball 122. The upper left and lower left areas of the board have left-to-right rows of raised squares 124, ranked in parallel from top to bottom of the board and vertically, generally with four squares to a horizontal row and in numerical sequence, preferably beginning with numeral l at the upper left and ending with the number 36" at the lower right, the numerals thus being the same as those of the game wheel.

Like-ranked vertical pegs I26 occupy corresponding positions below the respective squares by which they are identified through indicia 128, each square being about 13/16" X W wide preferably, and each peg about 3/l6" in diameter by 15" high, the same height as the squares, preferably.

At the middle of the board, the game wheel occupies middle spaces, reducing the rows to two squares each.

Unlike those on the left hand side of the board, designators on the right hand side of the board comprise similarly raised circular areas 130, five per row generally, except for the two central rows which contain three.-

Recessed in, or perforated entirely through the circular raised areas are peg holes 132, in the respective upper peripheries. The raised areas permit the peg holes to be deep, permitting the markers which will be described to have relatively long pegs, for stability.

Indicia 134 serially designate the raised circular areas, beginning preferably with 1" in the upper left of the lower right hand group and ending with 36" in the lower right of the upper right hand group, the designating numerals thus being the same as those of the game wheel and the raised squares. lnverting the position of the two groups makes for more interest by partially interrupting correlation of the raised circular areas with respect to the raised squares.

A jackpot tray 136, about 6'' X 8", and containing vertical ribs, horizontally spaced for playing chip storage, with bottom preferably heim-cylindrically contoured for the same purpose and for making loose chip pickup easier, divides the upper and lower right hand areas; two hundred and twenty playing chips 138 are provided as follows: white, 60 blue, 60 red.

Game chips 140 are provided as follows: l8 yellow and 18 pink, the game chips of each colored set having on one side respective letters designating them serially from A" to "Q", and one game chip with a star is provided in each set.

Each game chip has a perforation central to the disk and sized for free fit over a peg.

Four markers 142 are provided, each of a color distinctive from the others, namely: blue, red, green, yellow.

On each marker is a radial peg 144 sized to fit freely in the peg holes on the board; the pegs are radial to the respective chip-or disk-shaped marker bodies.

Until each players turn comes, his marker may be stored in a special marker hole 146 at his respective edge of the board.

Rules of the game are easy to learn, and in conjunction with the above-described unique structure make an exciting betting-type game for two, three or four players from eight years of age through all adult ages.

VALUES OF THE CHIPS Values of the chips are as follows:

a. game chips: each has a value of 1 except for the chip of each color-set having a star, the jackpot chip, which has a value of 5, and the chips of each color set having a letter of the following: C, H, l or P, each of which has a value of 5; these numerical values are marked on the same face of the game chips as the letter.

b. playing chips: each white chip has a value of one (or a money value may be assigned), each blue chip equals 5 white chips, and each red chip equals 5 blue chips or 25 white chips.

SETTING UP THE GAME IN PREPARATION FOR PLAY PLAYING CHIPS: Each player is given (or buys) 55 playing chips as follows: 25 white chips, l5 blue chips and I5 red chips, and then antes into the jackpot section tray the number of chips agreed upon before starting the game, usually 50 white chips (or ID blue chips or 2 red chips or a combination of same). The "ante" can be increased if the players desire to do so.

GAME CHIPS: The l8 pink chips are shuffled facedown and placed face-down one-to-a-peg on the pegs numbered 1" through l 8, care being taken to conceal the face values of the chips from the players. In like manner the yellow chips are shuffled face-down and placed face-down on the respective pegs numbered l9 through 36.

PLAYER PRIORITY: Each player in turn spins the game wheel and the player with the highest number begins the game, play then proceeding to the next player clockwise around the board when he loses his turn.

PLAYING THE GAME The object of the game is to win the most playing chips. Playing chips are won by CHIP-MATCHING and the rules are simple and easy to learn. The procedure is as follows:

The first player spins the wheel to select a number. He or she then refers to the playing square having that number on it, turns over the game chip on the adjacent peg and observes the game chip letter. For example, if the ball stops on number of the game wheel, the player will turn face up the game chip on the peg at square number 20.

The player then estimates which number square he or she believes the corresponding letter of the othercolored set of game chips to be. For example, if the game chip he turned up has the letter K" on it, he or she must decide and declare to the other players which yellow game chip has I(" on it. Suppose the number 23" is chosen. To declare the number chosen, the player pegs his or her marker into the hole in the one of the raised circular areas having that particular number, in this case 23.

Next, the player refers to the playing square having that particular number, 23, and turns up the game chip on the adjacent peg to see whether that game chip has the same letter (in this case, the letter K"), as the game chip first turned up by the player.

If the players choice is correct he or she has CHIP- MATCH ED; the player then turns both the pink and the yellow game chips with the matching letters (in this case K") face up on the respective pegs, receives from the jackpot section tray one white chip, and spins the wheel once more, continuing until he or she fails to CHIPMATCHK As noted above, a player receives five white chips anytime he or she successfully CHIP-MATCHES" chips with the letter C" on them, or the letter H, or the letter or the letter P".

Best of all, a player takes the entire jackpot if he or she CHIP-MATCHES the two star chips, and thus ends the game at that point.

When a player fails to CHIP-MATCH", as a penalty, the player antes into the jackpot section tray that amount in white chips designated on the face of the first game chips, and then turns both game chips face down again.

The next player, clockwise, then takes his or her turn.

When the ball stops on a game wheel number designating a game chip already CHlP-MATCHED and therefore face-up, as a penalty the player must ante one white chip into the jackpot section tray and forfeit his or her turn.

When the jackpot chips, or star chips, and as few as five other game chips remain unturned on the board, the players may at that point, instead of finishing the game, optionally reshuffle all game chips and distribute them facedown on the pegs as in the beginning, add to the amount in the jackpot by ante-ing a new amount, and continue the game.

From the foregoing some of the many advantages of the invention will be apparent. For the very young, the game apparatus teaches the manual skills of ring-onpeg manipulation, simultaneously with letter and number correlation, the one reinforcing the other and being reinforced by the face-up, face-down game-chip positions required, which stimulates the memory. The pegs prevent the game chips from slipping or being slipped from one position to another during the excitement of a game and in spite of the motions of wheel spinning and jackpot playing-chip transactions, even though a lightweight game board is used. The central holes align all game chips alike at all times. The marker pegs likewise prevent the markers from moving during the exertions of play, and the markers themselves help prevent mistakes and through the shapes identify with the theme of the game. The raised squares not only make the numbers on them visible to all players in spite of the pegs, but also make a visually more attractive gameboard, and serve as elevated rests for the hand, making for surer manipula of the game tokens, and the elevated circular areas balance the appearance of the game board.

The central locations of the wheel and jackpot areas tend to make them more nearly equally convenient to all players, and divide the raised squares and contrasting raised circular areas into more easily comprehensible groups. Likewise employment of two color-sets of game tokens makes sorting and use more accurate and faster.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. it is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by U.S. Letters Patent is:

1. In a game having a board, random selection means, sequentially designated areas, directory tokens, reward tokens, and markers, the improvement comprising: the game board having thereon a plurality of squares raised above the board, first indicia for indicating sequence in the plurality of raised squares, a respective vertical peg adjacent each raised square, a respective game chip positionable by each vertical peg, the total number of game chips being the same as the total number of raised squares and the same as the total number of vertical pegs, means for dividing the game chips into first and second distinguishable subsets equal in number, means for dividing all said raised squares and vertical pegs into two groups, second concealable indicia for uniquely associating each game chip in the first of said two subsets with a respective game chip in the second of said two subsets a plurality of circular areas, third indicia for indicating sequence in the plurality of circular areas corresponding to the sequence in the plurality of raised squares, a plurality of markers corresponding to number of players, and means at each circular area for holding a marker, whereby players can randomly distribute the first and second sub-sets among the respectively divided groups of pegs with said second indicia concealed, select a game chip of the first subset by means of the random selection means and the means for indicating on the raised squares, estimate which game chip of the second subset corresponds with the game chip selected, placing a marker to indicate the game chip estimated, thereafter reveal the second indicia of the game chip estimated to correspond to verify the estimate, and then take up or pay playing chips in accordance with the correctness of the estimate.

2. ln a game as recited in claim 1, wherein each game chip comprises a flat, circular chip having a hole een trally therein sized to receive a said vertical peg.

3. In a game as recited in claim 2, wherein said sectwo groups includes central location of the random selection means.

7. In a game as recited in claim 6, wherein the random selection means comprises a roulette-type wheel.

8. In a game as recited in claim 7, and structure supporting the circular areas above the board.

9. In a game as recited in claim 8, wherein the markers comprise chips having respective pegs radially protrusive therefrom, and wherein the means for holding markers comprises a recess in each raised circular area sized to receive a said chip peg.

10. In a game as recited in claim 9, wherein plural peg-holes are provided marginally in the board for storage of the markers.

11. In a game as recited in claim 7, wherein all said raised squares and circular areas are substantially ranked in parallel rows.

Claims

2. In a game as recited in claim 1, wherein each game chip comprises a flat, circular chip having a hole centrally therein sized to receive a said vertical peg.

3. In a game as recited in claim 2, wherein said second indicia for uniquely associating is located on one fAce of each of the game chips.

4. In a game as recited in claim 3, wherein said second indicia for uniquely associating includes both letters and non-alphabetical designations.

5. In a game as recited in claim 3, wherein a jackpot tray is provided having at least one hemi-cylindrical bottom contour.

6. In a game as recited in claim 5, wherein the means for dividing the raised squares and vertical pegs into two groups includes central location of the random selection means.

9. In a game as recited in claim 8, wherein the markers comprise chips having respective pegs radially protrusive therefrom, and wherein the means for holding markers comprises a recess in each raised circular area, sized to receive a said chip peg.